1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to methods and devices for wearable assemblies for the display of images, and, more particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to video jackets wherein the weight of a display screen is directly supported by the torso of a wearer, and is stabilized by direct engagement with that torso.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of wearable display systems had previously been proposed. Such systems include, for example, sandwich boards, video jackets, and wearable flexible video displays. One such prior system is described by Dodd U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,012, which discloses a framework in the nature of a back pack frame that is worn by a person and supports an LCD screen above the head of that person. The frame also supports a power supply, media player and controls for the system. Placing the screen above the head of the person is said to provide improved visibility for advertising messages. Metcalf U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,855 discloses flexible video display material in the form of a garment. Rubin et al. US 2004/0187184 also discloses a flexible video display material on a garment. Fitch U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,653 discloses a jacket with an LCD display zippered into an aperture in the jacket. The LCD display is supported by the jacket. The hardware includes a GPS beacon to provide information as to the location of the jacket. Borovoy et al. US 2004/0189474 discloses a “tag”, such as a small LCD display, that is worn by a person. The tag is capable of displaying graphics and text images for communicating with similar tags worn by other people. The tags can also include GPS receivers for ascertaining the locations of the wearers of the tags. Harary et al. US 2006/0028430 discloses a video jacket wherein an LCD display is attached to and carried by a jacket for advertising or fashion purposes. Harary US 2005/0206616 has a similar disclosure.
Such prior art devices and methods are not without their shortcomings. A major shortcoming of typical prior art devices and methods is that they are not well suited or practical for continual day after day commercial usage for advertising display purposes. They tend to be difficult and/or unpleasant to view and/or to wear. Where, for example, a monitor is mounted on scaffolding above a person's head, many viewers will be interested more in how it works than in what is being displayed on the monitor. Also it invites some people to see if they can cause the person wearing it to fall down and break the device.
Portable advertising displays must be easy to read, without message diminishing distractions, safe, and comfortable to carry. A flexible display on a video jacket tends to be distorted, which makes it difficult to read, and distracts from the intended message, particularly with a constantly changing message. If anything about the system is visible except the display, the viewers tend to be distracted by watching the other parts of the system. A display that is being carried by a person should be as stable as possible. If the display is moving too much it is at best hard to read, and at worst it may make the reader who focuses closely on it feel woozy. Since a person may be wearing a video jacket or a similar article of clothing for several hours a day, it must be comfortable. The display should be mated to the jacket in such a way that it blends into the jacket and is not obscured by any part of the jacket. The display should not change the natural drape of the article of clothing to such a degree that it distracts from the message that is presented on the display screen of the assembly.
These and other difficulties of the prior art have been overcome according to the present invention.